Autopneumatic playing device for musical instruments.



C. WARREN. AUTOPNBUMATIC PLAYING DEVICE FOR MUSIbAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIUATIUN FILED AUG. 20, 1909. Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

"- 8 SEEET8-SHEET 1.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 20, 1909.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

O. WARREN. AUTOPNEUMATIG PLAYING DEVICE FOR MUSIOAL INSTRUMENTS.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1909.

a sums-sum a.

CHARLES WARREN, F ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

AUTOPNEUMATIC PLAYING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 20, 1 909.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912. Serial No. 513,756.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, CiL-ucLus \VAltltI-IN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county ofll'im'iebago and State of Illinois, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Autopneumatic Playing Devices for Musical Instruments,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to pro-' 'vide an improved constructionfor certain elements and portions of a pneumatic action and connectionsfor the same for automatic playing of musical instruments, particularlydesigned .for the interior player action of an automatic operable piano.

It consists in the elements, and features of construction shown anddescribed as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a fore-andaft vertical section through theupper portion, including the manual of an upright pi mo equipped withthis invention at. the line 11' on Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a partly sectionalfront elevation of the same, section being made through the pneumaticaction at the line 22- on Fig. 1, another section being made at the line2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the primary pneumaticsfor controlling the shut-off and regulating motor pneumatics of thevent, valves and air connections for the same. Fig. 4

.is a detaiLsection at the line 4--4 on Fig.

2. Fig. 5 is a. vertical axial section of a ,primary pneumatic and itsvalves for controlling the re-roll, take-up and reversing niechanismsection being made lengthwise of the valves at the axis of the pneumaticdiaphragm. 'Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of an automatic governor for theroll-actuating motor. Fig. 7 is a section at the line 7 7 on Fig. 6 on aslightly reduced scale. Fig. 8 is a detail section at the ,linc 8-43 onFig. 6. Fig. 9 is a section. at the line 99 on Fig. (3. Fig. 10 isa'horizontal section .of the case showing the foundation board in topplan view. Fig. 11 is a partially sectional front edge elevation of alock containing several primary pneumatics and their valves, set tiorlbeing made in vertical plane through one of the valves, at 1-1--11 of Fl.10.

The structure represented in the ravvings shows a customary constructionof an upright piano, of which the familiar parts are represented byletters as follows: A is the f mndation board underneath the manualktiys, B, extending to the upright ends of the ease, t; l) the hammeraction. The automatic playing devices comprise a pneumatic action whichas a whole is indicated by the letter, F. It. is mounted above the rearpart of the manual keys, having a base board, F, which extends to theends of the case and supported thereon. The control; ling mechanism,comprising the tracker board, G, roll carriage, H, and rolls H Hthereon, and motor, J, for the rolls, is lo cated above the pneumaticaction, the several elements constituting said controlling n'iechanismbeing mounted upon the carrying bar, K, supported on the ends of thecase. the means for producing suction or exhaust tension for operatingthe pneumatic action comprises the pumpers, L, L, connected respectivelywith exhaust. air bellows, M, M, which are mounted in vertical ositionjust inside the two ends of the case )eyond the lateral range of themanual. The two chambers, M, M, are connected by an air trunk, M so thatboth are affected by the action of either of the pumpers, L, L, saidpamper-s, however, communicate directly each with the exhaust airbellows, M. at the corresponding end of the instrument; such connectionbeing made by short air trunks. L, leading into valve chambers, M, M",which are mounted upon the fixed walls of the bellows, M, M,respectively, as clearly seen in the drawings.

The pneumatic action comprises primary pneumatic chambers, 1, of whichthere are a plurality for convenience of arranging the pneunultics forthe several keys in a plurality of banks or levels as is customary. EX-cept as related to this point of convenience, the chambers, 1. 1, may begarded as constituting a unitary cham er. These mary pneumatic chambersare mounte in a unitary structure comprising two vertical end chambers,2, 2, which connect and relativelyposition the primary pneumaticchambers 1 1, which open into said end chambers. ach of the primarvpneumatic chambers is partitioned intermediate its ends at any ointwhich ma be "selected for dividing etween thehig er and lower parts,commonly distinguished as treble'and has respectively. From the exhaustair chamhers bellows, M, M, air trunks M, M lead to the end chambers, 2,2, respec tively, their communication therewith being controlled byvalves, 4, 4, in the end chambers, respet-tively, mounted for slidingupon the vertical wall thereof over the ports of inletv of said trunks.The unitary structure constituting the pneumatic aetion is strengthenedby a longitudinal top hoard, F, whir-lrforms the top wall of the endthamhers. :2. .3, and upon this tophoar there are mounted motorpneumaties, 1'1, .3, and I). 5". eonne ted respeetivelv to the valves,4, 4, for aetuating them. llaeh of the valves has an operating stem. 4".extending up through the top of the chamber. '3. between the operatinglingers, ti. t'r. whieh projeet from the upper walls whieh are the Inn:-ing \valls.-of the pneumaties. 5 and 5", respeetively. The linger, (i,on the pneutnati 5. extends met the end of the valve stem. 4, foroperating upon it for llll'llnllllfl the valve downward as the pneumatieis eollapsed. The linger, 6, extends over an adjustable stop, 4;", whichis mounted on the stem, 4, andmay he set higher or lower on sa d stem soas to he eueonntered sooner or later Hi the eollapsmp a tion of thepneumatic. 5, the adjustment being, made art-o ding to the extent towhieh it is tlt':-llttl to have the valve, 4, closed by the collapse ol'said pneumatie, 5-, as hereinafter explained. For controlling the motorpneumaties. 7i, .3. a. duct, 7, extends in the top board. F. trom theleft-hand end thereof, \\'ltlt'll tXtt'Inls beyond the chamber, :t thatend. opening into each of said pneumaties, 5. as een in Fig. 2, andeonneeted at the end in the over- 1 hanging portion of the top board bya lle.\ihle. tube, 8, with a primary pneumatic. tl, mounted in a primarypneumatic chamber. 10, supported on the foundation board, A. A vent forthe pneumatic, 9, is provided by means of a duet, 11, leading to a port.[2, in a valve llltltli, 13, supported on said l'ouudation board saidport being controlled by a valve, 14, fulerumed on the foundation boardand terminating for manual operation ata convenient point at the troutot' the manual. For controlling the motor pneumaties. ii", 5", duets,l5, l5, are formed in the top board. l"'-', leading from the lel't-.

hand overhanging end thereof to said pneumaties respectively, andeonneeted lt'speetively at said overhanging ends by flexible tuhes, l6,l6, leading-to the primary pneuniaties. 17, 17, in the prin'iarypneumatic chamber, 10, from which vent duets, 18, 18 lead to the portsin a block, 13, controlled by valves, 19, It), res ectively, positionedand fulcrnmed similary t0 the v alve, 1-l, and terminating similarly atpoints convenient for manual operation at the front. of the instrument.The primary pneumatic chamher, 10, is connected with the left-hand exhaust air chamber bellows, M, by an air trunk, 20. From the constructionthus far described, it will be understood that when the operatoroperates the valve. 14, for opening the vent port, 12, venting thepneumatic, 9, both the motor pneumaties, 5, 5, will collapsed and fullyclose the valve, 4, shutting oll' air eommuuieation from the entireprimary pneumatic aetion. putting said action out of service andpreventing automatic plavin". It will also be. lllltltl .t(l(l(l that.upon operating the left-hand valve, ll). venting the primary pneumatiewhieh controls the letthaud motor pnemnatie. fr, the valve, 4. at thatend will he operated for closing partiallv. to an extent determined bythe adjustment of the stop, l", on the valve stein. 4, therebyrestricting the movement of air from the primary aetion and with theetl'eet of softening the bass action; and that when the right-handvalve, 19, is imilarl' operated. similar ell'eet is produced by means ofthe right-hand motor pneumatic; 5, partiallv elos|u; the right-handvalve, 4. and softening the treble aelion.

l .\s usual in automatic playing devices employing an air motor foraetuating the l rolls to propel the controller sheet. the same l soureeotsin-lion is made availa le for the, 3 |lllt'lll\l:tllt artion and forthe motor. For 1 this purpose. an air trunk. it. leads to the l motor.its ultimate eonnection being, through an intermediate means. \vbiehwill he now" tlt. tlil)t'tl. with the right-hand exhaust air ehamherbellows. .\l'. the intermediate conmtions comprise a governing deviceeonl. 'llll 'j of a hpl'lll "t'XP:tlltlttl bellows. .32, whieheommunieates by means of an air trnnlt. '3 with m'tltl right-handbellows. M. and by Htnlis ol' an air-trunl\'. it. with a. valveehandier. J3. whieh in lllHl i "onneeted with the air tlllltlt. it. thuseompleting the line of onmmnieation from the ehamher, M. to the motor..l. Within the "o\el'nu|' bellows. 2;. there is a tlexible valve, 'J i.whieh controls the port. 2T, by which said bellows eommunieates with theair trunk, 1.4. This \alve 'lt', is preferably a sprinp fastened at neend to thefixed board, 28, ot the bellows. 23, through which said port.27, leads to the air trunk, it, and extending longitudinally over saidport, which is itself a long narrow slit adapted to heelosed graduallyby the. spring valve, 26 when the latter is depressed at its free endand thereby straightened out along the surfaee of the board, 28, overthe said slit 01 port, 27.

An adjusting screw, 29, is set. through the moving member of thebellows, 22, for encounter with the. free end of the spring valve, 27,to depress it to its seat by the collapse of said bellow, the outer endof the screw being accessible for manipulation to vary the extent ofseating of the valve relatively to such collapse. ,Both the passage forconnection with the chamber, M, and that for connection with the motorare conveniently formed in the fixed board, 28, of said bellows, 22, andboth of said passages,- whose portions contained in the board aredenoted by reference numerals, 23' and 24", respectively, are openthrough to the back side of the board,-that is, the side opposite themoving member of the bellows-4n ports, 23" and 24", respectively, and ahood formin r a by-pass chamber, 30, is mounted on said side of theboard, 28, into which both of said ports, 23" and 24*,opemso that thepassages, 23 and 24, are connected through the by-passchamberindependently of their connection through the bellows, The saidconnectionthrou h the by-pass chamber is controlled by a vave,31,locat:ed in the bypass chamber and closing the port, 24". Thisvalve is operatively connected with a pneumatic, 32, mounted outside theby-pass chamber, and having astem or plunger, 33, for operativelyconnecting it with the valve, extending through the wall of the by-passchamber loosely enough for movement therein and for affording arestricted air connnunication between the by-pass chamber and thepneumatic. The pneumatic is provided with an unrestricted aircommunication by means of a passage, 33, formed in the inclosing wall ofthe pneumatic and having connected with ice , valve,

' from the governor to the motor,

it an air duct, 34, which leads to vent-controlling means hereinajterdescribed. The spring, 55. for yieldingly expanding the bel lows, 22, ispreferably located outside said bellows, reacting between the stops, 35and 35", on the fixed and rzoving walls, respec tively, of said bellows.

Upon considering the governor devices ,above described, it may beunderstood that whatever be the exhaust air tension produced in theright hand chamber, M, by the pumpers, the resulting tension operativeupon the motor, J, will be determined by the tension of the spring,because whenever its resistance is overcome so far as to close thevalve, 26, no-further exhaust action is communicated to the motor. Thewell understood purpose of this governing expedient is to maintain agoverned speed of the motor which may be subject to regulation at willfor governing the rate of playing, such governmentbeing effected bymeans of a 36, in the valve chamber, 25, which is interposed as noticedin the passage leading such valve, 36, being operated at will to closeor open to any desired degree the port of communication of the trunk,25, with the valve chamber, and having connections, 37, extending to afinger-piece, 38, for sliding the valve to vary said opening 11ndregulatethe speed of playing. \Vhen t-lie roll-operating mechanism isreversed for rewinding or re-rolling the controller sheet aftercompleting the playing or for returning to a previous point forrepeating any portion of the music, it is desirable that the motorshould operate at the maximum speed which can be given it by the degreeof exhaust tension maintained in the chamber, M, and that the pneumaticaction should be cut oil from the exhaust air chambers during suchre-rolling so as to prevent playing at that time. In order that theseresults may be effected without detail attention to them separately bythe operator is the purpose of the governing devices and connectionsdescribed; and for carrying out this purpose, the motor-operatingmechanism has the reversing lever. 37, (whose operation for reversingthe direction of driviug,-that is, for shifting the action from playingto rewinding,-is familiar and need not be explained) mounted as a leverarm extending off at right angles from the mov: ing wall, 39, of a motorpneumatic, 40, the mechanism being adjusted by the reversing lever foroperating the take-up roll for playing when the pneumatic, 40, iscollapsed, and for rewinding when said pneumatic is expanded. At anyconvenient position, and as illustrated, in the foundation board, A,whose primary pneumatic, 43,, is connected by an air tube, 46, with thesource of the air trunk, M. there is mounted a primary pneumaticchamber, 41, whose primary pneumatic, 41, is connected with its valves,42 and 43, for closing the connnunication with the chamber when thepneumatic is expanded and opening such communication when the pneumaticis collapsed. From the port controlled by the valves, the duct, 44,leads to two connections, one with a duct, 45, leadin to the motorpneumatic, 40, the other wlth a duct, 34, above mentioned leading to thepneumatic, 32. so that both of.said motor pneumatics are controlled bythe primary pneumatic, 41*. The vent duct, 48, for controlling theprimary pneumatic, ll, leads from the port controlled by the valve, 14.From this construction, it will be understood that when the operatoroperates the valve, 14, for open ing the port w llCll it controls, thevent thereby afforded through the duct, 11, to the primary pneumatic, 9,causes the operation of both the motor ncumatics, 5, 5, efiectingcomplete shut-oft y means of the-valves, 4-, 4, of air communication tothe pneumatic action, and by means of the vent afforded through theduct, 48, to the primary pneumatic, 41, causes inflation of the motorpneumatic, 40, operating thereverse lever for shifting the driving trainfrom the take up to the re-wind roll, and the inflation simultaneouslyof the pneumatic, 32,0ausing the valve, 31, to be opened,thus'establishing direct communication by way of the bv-nass chamber,30, from the exhaust air chamber, M, to the motor giving the motoraction free from control of the overning device; that is, at ma ximumspeci That is to say, from the opening of said valve, 14, theresimultaneously results, first, the shutting oil of the pneumatic actionpreventing playing; second, the shifting of the driving connection fromthe take-up to the rewind roll causing rewinding; third, the releasi-nof the motor from all government, causing it to act at maximum speedduring rewinding.

I claim 1. In an autopneumatic playing meehanism for musicalinstruments, in combination with the pneumatic action, take-up andre-roll mechanism and reversing means tor the same, a shut-off valve forthe pneumatic action, a motor pneumatic opcratively connected with thereversing means; a motor pneumatic operatively connected with theshut-off valve; primary puemnatics for controlling said motor pneumaticsrespectively, and a manually operable vent valve controlling both saidprimary pneumatics.

2. In an autopneumatic playing mechanism for musical instruments, apneumatic action comprising a primary pneumatic chamber; an air trunkcomm'unicating with such chamber; a shut-off valve controlling suchcommunication; two motor pneumatic-s.

both non-interferingly connected with such shut-otf valve for operatingthe same; means limiting the valve actuating action of one of the-motorpneumatics adapted to cause the valve to be only partially closed bysaid pneumatic; primary pneumatics for controlling said motor pneumatiesrespectively, and manually operable vent valves for the primarypneumatics.

3. In an autopneumatic playing mechanisurfor musical instruments incombination with a longitudinally extended primary pneumatic chamber andprimary pncuumtics therein, said chamber being partitioned intermediateits ends; air trunks connnunicating with the two end portionsrespectively; a shut oll' and regulating valve for controlling each ofsaid communications; :1 shutoff pneumatic and a regulating pneumaticoperatively connected with each of said valves; means limiting theaction of the regulating pncnmatics to cause them to only partiallyclose the rcs wrtive valves; separate pr1- mary pneulnalics forcontrolling each of said regulating pncumatics; a single primarypneumatic for controlling both the shut-off pncumatics, and manuallyoperable vent valves for controlling said three pri mary pncumatics'respectively.

4. In an autopucumatic playing mecha nism for musical instruments,exhaust mech anism; a pneumatic action comprising a pri ma'ry pneumaticchamber; an a1r passage constituting means of communication from saidexhaust mechanism to such chamber; a. valve controlling suchcommunication; a, motor pneumatic operatively connected with such valve:adjustab e means [or positively limiting the Val\'r-cl i-i:ig action ofthe 1nd tor pneumatic; a primary pneumatic for controlling such motorpneumatic, and a manually operable vent valve for controlling theprimary pneumatic.

5. In an autopneumatic playing mechanism, in combination with apneumatic action, a shut-otl valve for the same; a motor pneumatic foroperating such shut-oll valve: a primary pneumatic for controlling suchmotor pnemnatie: an exhaust air chamber; a pneumatic motor; take-up andrc-roll mechanism operated thereby; a reversing means for saidmechanism; a motor pneumatic which operates d reversing means; agoverning, device between the exhaust air chamhcr and the motor; aby-pass around said governing device; a valve which controls suchlay-pass a motor pneumatic which operates such valve; :1 primarypneumatic which controls both the, Iastanenlioned motor pneumatic andthe motor pneumatic which operates the reversing means, and a man..all vperable -vent' valve for controlling both said primary pnemnatics.

t'. In an autopneumatic playing n1echanism, in (.(lllllJllltltlOfl witha pneumatic action having a partitioned primary pneumatic. chamber;shut-off valves controlling the partitioned portions respectively;separate motor pneumaties for operating said shut-oil valves: a primarypneumatic controlling both said motor pneumatics; an exhaust airchamber: a pneumatic motor: take up and re-roll mechanisms operatedthereby; a rcvcr ing means for said mechanism; a motor pm'umatiooperatively (()fill((ll(l\\'lbll said reversing means; a governingdevice between the exhaust air chamber and the motor; a by-pass aroundsaid governing device; a valve,vvhich controls such by-pass; a motorput-lunatic which operates said valve; a primary pneumatic whichcontrols both the last-mentioned motor pneumatic and the motor pmiumaticwhich operates the r versing means, and a manually operated vent; valvefor controlling both said primary pneumatics.

T. In an automatic playing mechanism, in combination with a pneumaticaction, a shutofl' valve for the same and means for actuating it; anexhaust air chamber; a pneumatic motor; take-up and rc-roll mechanismoperated thereby; a reversiug'means for said mechanism; a motorpneumatic which operates said reversing means; a governing devicebetween the exhaust and the air motor chamber; a by-pass around saidgoverning device; a valve whichcontrols said by-pass; a motor pneumaticwhich operates such valve; a primary pneumatic which controls both thelast mentioned at Chicago, Illinois, this 7th day of August, motorpneumatic and the motor pneumatic 1909.. which 0 crates the reversingmeans, and a T manuall} operable vent valve for controlling CHARLES,AVRREi said primary pneumatic. In the presence of In testimony whereof,I have hereunto set JULIA S. ABBOTT, my hand, in the presence of two.Witnesses, (3114s. S. BURTON.

